Understanding
by xxravenwingxx
Summary: But she couldn’t sleep, couldn’t get over what she’d done. The guilt that came from betrayal was overwhelming, like the stink of a rotting corpse..." [One-Shot, Surprise Pairings, Don't Read If You're Overly-Fangirlish]


Disclamer: Gundam Seed/Gundam Seed Destiny is **NOT MINE!** it belongs to its rightful owners over at Bandai and such.

**Warning: **Contains some spoilers for those who haven't watched Destiny yet. So beware.

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She laid silently, tears streaming down her face, her lips swollen, bloody scraps dug out by fingernails running down her back. Her whole body ached as if it had been pummeled by a steamroller. She quivered still, nerves frayed by what she had done, what she had had to do. Guilt was running its course as she slipped from his loose embrace. He was fast asleep, exhausted by their activities, and snoring loudly. She wrinkled her nose slightly at the sound, sliding out from the tangled sheets and shivering as the cool air hit her bare skin. She hurriedly grabbed a discarded blanket, wrapping it around herself and covering herself. Rain pattered on the roof above her, a sound that would have soothed her in any other situation. But she couldn't sleep, couldn't get over what she'd done. The guilt that came from betrayal was overwhelming, like the stink of a rotting corpse. It was no better than a corpse, really. It was something that couldn't be hidden, that plagued you until you either went insane or accepted your just punishment.

She sighed, slowly tiptoeing to the broad glass doors, peering through glass panes that were covered with droplets of water. Slowly, she pulled the door open enough to slip her lithe body through, ignoring the immediate shill that settled over her as she slid the door shut behind her. Her hair became wet and stringy almost instantly, the blanket sodden with water. But she didn't care. No one should be here at this time of the night, she reasoned as she hugged the heavy blanket to herself, water streaming down her body.

"Hey! You there!" The voice shot through the rainy darkness like a bullet from the gun, startling her, her eyes widening as she recognized the voice. No. It couldn't be. She couldn't let him see her like this, otherwise he would know the depth of what she had done. The betrayer can still feel regret when facing those who were betrayed.

She did her best to hide, slipping behind the tall, think trunk of a nearby tree, adrenaline pumping as she contemplated an escape route. There was always the option to return to the room, to crawl back into the bed with _him_, but that was the last thing she wanted. Or she could confront the one she betrayed. But that wasn't a valid option either. That left running and hiding.

But his ears were too good, that damn Coordinator. His fingers latched around her slender arm before she could run, tightening their grip as she struggled to pull away, struggled to avoid those piercing emerald eyes.

"Cagalli. Why are you running from me?" he asks softly, his eyes never leaving her face, watching it transform from anger and terror to hopelessness and guilt. Cagalli hung her head, her blonde hair masking the emotions that played across her face, hiding herself in the only way left from the man she love, the man she had betrayed.

"Athrun, I'm so sorry," she whispered, staring fixedly at the ground beneath her bare feet.

Athrun seemed puzzled by that remark, inspecting her thoroughly. "Sorry for what? And what are you doing out in the rain in the middle of the night with nothing but a blanket?"

Cagalli opened her mouth to answer, but no words could come out. Her eyes burned with unshed tears that silently slipped out, streaming in two steady tracks from her eyes. "I had no choice! I had to, for the good of Orb," she muttered wildly, shaking her head slightly. "It wasn't my choice, but I had to! You understand, right?"

"What are you talking about Cagalli?" Athrun asked, worried.

"Cagalli! Where ar'ya?" a drunken voice called lazily, as a figure emerged from her bedroom, yawning as he glanced at the duo outside. "Wha ar'ya doin' out here?"

"Nothing," she muttered, yanking her arm free as Athrun's grip loosened as he finally realized what had happened.

"You SLEPT with him?" Athrun asked in a strangled voice, looking between Cagalli and Yuna with disbelief. "You had SEX with him, something you always avoided with me while insisting that you wanted to wait until you were married?"

Cagalli glared at him. "I had no choice! It was either him or war! I'm not going to damn my country just because of my own emotions!"

"But—"

"Cagalli, wanna go anothe' round?" Yuna drawled, ignoring the blue-haired Coordinator, his eyes fixated hungrily on the blonde princess.

"But—"

"Athrun, please," Cagalli pleaded softly. "Please, just let this be. You've given up everything to do what you had to before. Please, just understand why I have to do this…"

"You didn't have to do this," Athrun responded sharply, turning away. "I understand everything clearly." With that, he strode off, not even glancing back.

"Athrun, wait!" Cagalli cried desperately, but even that didn't deter the pilot from his course. With a sob, Cagalli bowed her head. "Why?" she whispered to herself. "Why couldn't you understand? Why?"

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'Tis a nice shot of angst that I came up with the other day. I dont like the pairing Cagalli / Yuna either, but i can write pairings i hate, so we're all good. Just dont kill me.

xxravenwingxx


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